I owe UC a lot of money by recieving housing benefit I didn’t realise I was still getting

[Sunshine225]

So i was so poorly during my pregnancy with Hyperemisis. Then when I had my daughter I had a c section and have been struggling with my mental health due to illness during pregnancy and then continuing to have PPD. I didn’t realise I hadn’t changed my address (moved out January this year) and have been getting housing benefit for my old rented property. I have moved in with the father of my child’s dad as I had nowhere else to go and now I’m scared I’m going to get prosecuted for fraud. I have found this overpayment out and going to inform them and give them all the evidence to prove I didn’t realise and I’m so worried about the outcome. Has this happened to anyone else?

As soon as you moved you had a change of circumstances which you should have informed them of. Telling them will put you in a better position than them investigating but you will need to pay everything back

Omigod! No wonder this country is in a mess when this amount of money is just handed out to people for not working.

Where did that poster say she isn't working? Based on the fact she only got paid £900 odd from a £1500 award, she probably is working.

FWIW my rent is 75% of my UC. So most of it is going to my landlord, not me.

Is crazy how we are just handing out money and people are blatantly playing the system.

Please ignore the majority of the fear mongering posters on this thread OP. I'd hate to think that the negative posts on here compromise your mental health any further. Give them a call. Explain and Sort out a payment plan when your amended award notice comes through. You'll feel like a weights been lifted.

Ive only been a member of mumsnet for 24 hrs and from the comments I've read on various posts I can honestly say it's one of the most toxic spaces I've ever come across. I really dont know why mumsnet was ever branded a "community". There's too many people with poisonous tongues wanting to inflict fear and doubt onto people who are going through genuine turmoil. Behind the posts there are real people trying to navigate life. Compassion doesn't cost the earth! You've already come through so much OP. You are stronger than you think. Chin up and make that phone call💪

I think you're just jumping in to make inflammatory comments. I'm a benefits adviser with well over a decade of experience. Whilst I might not be able to give an easy answer to the OP, just facts and possible worst case scenarios, I don't think your comments help. I'm not saying what the OP has done is right/would be seen as fair to others etc, either. But equally just random omg comments seem a bit pointless.

I’m a fraud manager. You noticed before they did, that’s not fraud. Fraud is intentional. Contact them, explain the absolutely awful time you’ve had and what’s happened. You probably will need to pay it back, do you have it all… if not make an arrangement.
You’ll not be prosecuted or receive an ad pen.

Fully respect your comment, but my concern is the reporting of the other c/o/c's and not the housing. IME that could be problematic.

Having kids isn’t an excuse to not notice! Plenty folks have kids and are tired but can keep on top of their finances. Surely you would notice an extra bit of money every month?

Also, just for clarity, are you a DWP fraud manager? Because your comment is quite certain and the phrase you use that its not fraud because she noticed before they did just doesn't ring true with the cases I deal with as a benefits adviser. You seem 100% sure there would be no administrative penalty and yet the case circumstances are identical to cases where there have indeed been penalties, particularly where a client has reported other changes of circumstances but omitted others.

You didn't notice you had extra money and you didn't look at your bank statements for many months. Do you not even check if you are in credit or debit or have any idea how much money you should be getting?

You will have to pay it back but claiming ignorance is a bit difficult, I can't quite see how you didn't notice you were still getting paid the UC money, where did you think the money was coming from? I assume you were spending it or it wouldn't be a problem paying it back if it was just sitting unknown about and untouched in your account.

I think it unlikely that they will prosecute you for fraud? I think your reasoning is a bit…sketchy. No mortgage company or bank in the land would accept it. But, it is more likely you will just have to make a repayment plan to pay it back?

I’m a fraud manager. You noticed before they did, that’s not fraud.

How are they suppose to notice that she has moved if they haven't been told?

A decision maker will need to decide if it was in deed intentional, or a mistake based on ill health. I'm afraid the fact that OP was well enough to report changes that were in her favour could go against her. If she reports it ASAP it will be really helpful for her, it costs DWP a lot of money to go down the prosecution route and if she points out the mistake before they realize it, it will be a lot less justifiable for them to start proceedings.

@diddli agree. They ask you regularly to check your statements, I assume the old address was on them and most people (I imagine) know that even if your address was to change moving in with a partner is a significant change when it comes to benefit entitlement.

Honesty is the best policy though and you can report changes and when they work out overpayment explain what you can afford. You will feel much lighter once it’s done.

you were obv pregnant when moved so had plenty of opportunity to tell them as baby had not arrived yet you must have had to put an address on the sick notes so what address did you give your doctor UC etc UC are going to look at all of this sorry but I doubt they will accept excuses I would not try to minimise things saying I I just moved as they will investigate this

I do work. It shows my deductions for work.

Do you think people on minimum wage shouldn't be allowed to have kids?

Because I WFH part-time and don't use childcare for my youngest yet.

If you hate me getting that 900 a month for our bills the alternative is paying for full-time nursery for my youngest so I can work, and school pick ups for my eldest.

I think that would cost the taxpayer more. And I am raising them better than I would if I saw them less and was exhausted from full days of work. I've worked full time since my very early teens.

Why is paying more from the public purse and my parenting to suffer better in your eyes?

If you think either of those situations is awful then that means those of us on minimum wage would just be completely precluded from having kids.

This would actually tank the economy as well as be pretty grim for those of us who are maternal and not high earners.

I'm not having a go but I'm interested in what you would prefer, because I really don't think you've thought it through.

And this ladies and gentlemen is prime entitlement! @user793847984375948 why is it the taxpayers responsibility to pay anything for you…it really should be YOUR responsibility. THAT is the better alternative…

Whether you love or hate the UC childcare system, it was put in place to enable parents to work. If the poster you reacted to didn't work at all I expect you would jump on that as well. Tbh as a taxpayer I'd far rather this system than the one in the late 1970s where my poor Mum who had no choice but to work was paying out to a string of dubious "childminders" until the day she found me in my pram screaming and my brother sitting on the floor next to me outside our "childminders" flat where we had been for hours. Mum only found out because she came home early ill to collect us. She gave up day work the next day until I was old enough to go to school and was then permanently exhausted for the next 3 years working nights instead in a job well below her capability because we could not afford for her not to.

Yeah but she’s working PT…so that doesn’t work does it…

Your comment makes no sense. A lot of mothers work part time. As I said if she didn't work at all you'd be all over that as well.

It is still working?

But she also says she is working PT by choice so she can enjoy parenthood, a choice made available through UC, not everyone has that choice do they

Well at some point she will be working full time so I don't see the issue. Shame most parents can't work part time.